


Don't Say That

by kikibug13



Category: Midnighter (Comics)
Genre: Alternate Universes, Ghosts, Grief, M/M, Trick or Treat 2015
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-29
Updated: 2015-10-29
Packaged: 2018-04-28 16:44:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,075
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5097863
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kikibug13/pseuds/kikibug13
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>20thcenturyvole's prompt was: </p>
<p> </p>
<p>  <i>Meeting alternate universe versions of themselves!</i></p>
<p> </p>
<p>And my brain decided to be very uncharitable towards our poor heroes. (This is a Trick.)</p>
            </blockquote>





	Don't Say That

**Author's Note:**

  * For [20thcenturyvole](https://archiveofourown.org/users/20thcenturyvole/gifts), [evocates](https://archiveofourown.org/users/evocates/gifts).



"There's no such thing as _ghosts_."

"Don't you dare say that." The low growl was definitely threatening. If this wasn't, beyond the shadow of a doubt, another version of _himself_ , somehow? Even M would have inevitably missed the frail plea in the five short words. 

His computer was only a little unhappy with the not-stranger, and mostly because if there was one person who could definitely _pose_ a threat to him, that would be himself. Even from a different universe - not different enough to lack a tactical computer of his own - and old enough for his face to be wrinkled, for his hair to be graying. M had never given any thought to how he might look in a few decades, but now he could see what would come to him - if another series of events didn't do him in before that, naturally. Right there, right in front of him. 

Much as he'd tried, M had never really had a chance to have a look at himself, not from the side. Not before now. He had to admit that, even with the aging, the raw power that this other self was exuding was impressive. Not the way-- well, not the way the broad shoulders were hunched, or the genuine grief in the brown eyes. Grief. Since when did he ever do grief? (And he could almost fool himself that he didn't know what could lead to something like it.)

The other Midnighter was wearing a band openly, his thumb brushing it now and again, but without a trace of nervous fiddling. 

"What, cat stole your husband or something?" 

If he expected a wince (he didn't), he'd have been disappointed. But he got a glare, and a clenched jaw, and that was so much more believable. "Yes, actually. Well, an interdimensional being that really has a _lot_ of common traits with most cats kidnapped the ghost of my husband. Same difference." 

"Huh. So you found somebody worth sticking around for?" 

The change in Midnighter's expression was subtle, but more than enough for M to interpret it. For even _his_ insides to warm up and wiggle hopefully. "Just one. Always one."

M licked his lips, and the name slipped out before he could stop it. "Andrew."

"...who the hell's Andrew? 'm talking about Apollo." M was going to snap at him in return, that Andrew _was_ Apollo, did he really not even know his husband's _name_? - when the slight, almost imperceptible hitch in Midnighter's voice caught him by surprise and punched him in the gut as a fist wouldn't be able to do. Well, maybe Andrew's fist... Or elbow. M would take an elbow, right now. 

"Right. So the darkness married the sun, and you lived happily ever after?" 

"As much as we could. Jenny's old enough now to completely disregard anything either of us tries to tell her, though that's probably for the better. Spirit of the century and all." 

"Why would she listen to you in the first place?" M's eyes narrowed. Jenny and he did not exactly get along well at the best of times. 

"Adopted daughter and all." M's mouth opened, then closed. Well, _damn_. But the other Midnighter was moving on. "Earth, and a lot of other planets and dimensions, and specific people there, had occasionally a lot to say about the happily ever after. They trapped him in a dark room. Did a really good job of running me around in circles until... well. He came back to haunt me, like anyone dying alone and miserable and cold and deserted might, except he knew what he was doing, and it wasn't hatred." Warmth leached out of Midnighter's voice as he looked up in M's eyes again. "You know how hard it is to kill ourselves when trying? I'm sure enough comes close when you're _not trying_ that you know you're not invincible; but it's entirely different when you want to end all. Doesn't work. Fucking computer." 

"C'mon, one man dying, even _that_ man dying - can't be worth it all."

"Can't it?" The other Midnigther shrugged. "Can't tell. Couldn't bring myself to try, not when he broke the rules and came back. Emaciated, transparent. Not even a good armful. But as bright and _right_ as always. And then, interdimensional cat.

"Can't let him down twice."

"How long were you two together?" 

"All the time either of us remembers, except for three years or so when the bastard who made us--"

"Wait, you were made by the same--"

"Yes. We two, and others, too. Ripping ihs spine out was one of the more satisfying moments of my _life_."

"I can imagine. So it really worked for you two?"

"You have no idea. So, no ghastly cat tearing through people's nearest and dearly departed?" 

"Nope." M had already checked, while they were talking. No supernatural reports logged by any of his assets.

"Time for me to go, then. Door!"

 

M stared after the long-gone golden trace in the air. So similar. So different. 

So fucking different. 

He took out his phone, called up a text message window. `You all right?`

_ _ _

Enough delay for Midnighter to imagine Andrew staring at his phone, unhappy. But unable to toss the thing away. Or crush it in his fist. Which was, granted, a little more like Andrew. `A little busy.` A lie. Midnighter could tell even on the phone. `Are you?`

` Yes. Gotta go. Still not figured anything out. `

` Of course not. `

And nothing else. Andrew was still mad. Midnighter smirked, sadly, at his phone for a long moment. He wondered if the other Apollo had a temper. Then again... Yeah, probably. They were very much not different enough to fail to need to appreciate that kind of spitfire. 

At least Apollo didn't spit fire, literally. Just - sometimes - he got really close. Yeah, that was probably still a turn-on across the universes. 

A moment, and that thought made him groan. If there was one alternate universe, there were others, too. Then he laughed. He wondered if he could talk Andrew into letting him know his own reaction to a story of them like that. Probably not, not now, which was also fair. ( _God, we're such a mess_ , he thought, and went back to his reading of files. No matter how much he wanted to go, to touch, to hold even...

_Another time,_ he told himself. Another time, he would not have to deny them both.


End file.
